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Summary

Stixwould Priory

Full description

PRN 40031
A Cistercian nunnery, a quasi-double house, was founded at Stixwould in 1135. In 1202 a priest is recorded as ruling jointly with the prioress, but after 1308 secular priests were appointed masters in the usual way. Although listed as Gilbertine in the Mappa Mundi the brethren were probably Premonstratensian. When the house was suppressed in 1536, Benedictine nuns from Stainfield moved in. In 1537 the nunnery was refounded for Premonstratensian canonesses, and finally suppressed in 1539. {1}{2}{3}{5}
Earthworks can be seen on aerial photographs. {4}{6}{8}
The gatehouse survived until 1849, but much of the priory stone was removed to build Woodhall Spa church in 1845. Some stone fragments and a coffin lid are preserved in Stixwould church. Two carved roof bosses are now in City and County Museum. {9}
For a detailed description of the surviving earthwork remains see the scheduling documents. {10}
During a watching brief on a pipeline along Duckpool Lane a corner of the original priory grounds was cut through. A thick course of large limestone blocks set into the fill of a channel or ditch was seen. The Ordnance Survey survey indicates a possible ditch or moat beside the road and the ditch in the section may be this. It appears that ditches associated with the earthworks of Stixwould priory continue beneath Duckpool Lane. {11}{12}
It is suggested that there is a relationship between Stixwould priory and the nearby conjectured causeway, possibly dating as far back as the Bronze Age (44508). {13}

<1> OS, 1956, OS 6 INCH SERIES, TF 16 NE (Map). SLI3659.

<2> D. Knowles and R.N. Hadcock, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales - First Edition, P 176,219,225,231 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI902.

<3> William White, 1872, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Third Edition, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI887.

<4> J.K.S. St Joseph, 1945-79, Cambridge University Collection, EW 0090,1950, (Aerial Photograph). SLI175.

<5> OS CARD INDEX, TF 16 NE:12,1964, SEAMAN B H (Index). SLI2756.

<6> John A. East, 1978-80, John East Collection of Aerial Photographs, 1726:80,1980, (Aerial Photograph). SLI182.

<7> William Page (ed), 1906, The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2, VOL 2 P 146-9 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1104.

<8> John A. East, 1978-80, John East Collection of Aerial Photographs, 1729:80,1980, (Aerial Photograph). SLI182.

<9> City and County Museum Collection, LM 267.12 (Artefact). SLI8.

<10> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1994, SCHEDULING DOCUMENT 22606, MPP 22 (Scheduling Record). SLI4350.

<11> Lindsey Archaeological Services, 1997, Stixwould Mains Replacement Scheme: Archaeological Monitoring, STX97 (Report). SLI5242.

<12> Lindsey Archaeological Services, 1997, Stixwould Mains Replacement Scheme: Archaeological Monitoring, LCNCC 100.97 (Archive). SLI1654.

<13> David Stocker and Paul Everson, 2003, ‘The Straight and Narrow Way: Fenland Causeways and the Conversion of the Landscape in the Witham Valley, Lincolnshire’, in The Cross Goes North: Processes of Conversion in Northern Europe, AD300-1300, pp.271-88 (Article in Monograph). SLI8111.

Monument Types

• PRIORY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1135 AD to 1539 AD)
• NUNNERY (Medieval - 1135 AD to 1539 AD)
• RELIGIOUS HOUSE (Medieval - 1135 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• Watching brief at Stixwould

Protected Status

• SHINE
• Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

Related records

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